Public policy issues are everywhere; their effects are felt on personal and societal levels. Although many aspects of our lives are directly or indirectly affected by public policies, most of us don"t fully understand them: Why do they exist? What different types of public policy are there? What are some of the more controversial policy issues today? What are the different positions on those issues? Why do we have government? Why does government attempt to solve certain types of problems and ignore others? How do we understand the continuity and change in public policies? In this comprehensive survey, Wilson answers these questions using a historical and theoretical approach to deconstruct many aspects of public policy issues. He examines the evolution of public policies, the long-term patterns of public policy development, the function and role of government institutions in making policy, different types of policy, the political behavior surrounding policies, and the role of organized interest groups in preserving or changing the status quo. His explanations and applications of particular theories related to public policy issues and enactment; his informal, engaging writing style; and his refined flow of topics and ideas instill the incentive to build a balanced perspective and a better understanding and appreciation of the public policies that exist today.